Tips for Protecting Your Wrist on the Golf Course

The following tips will help you maintain the long-term health of your wrist and avoid injury or re-injury:

If your wrist starts hurting during the game, take a break. Don't resume golf until the pain goes away. If the problem persists, see a doctor.

Use the proper equipment. Be sure your clubs are in good condition and are the correct length and weight for you and that the grip width is appropriate.

Consult a golf professional to determine your correct grip,(see different grips below) particularly if you have a history of wrist problems. The club should fit slightly beyond the palm of your hand so that the gripped end of the club does not dig into your palm during the swing. If you have surgery, it is recommended that you have another club-fitting after the operation, especially if an ill-fitting club was one of the reasons you were injured.

Proper wrist grip 1

Proper wrist grip 2

Proper wrist grip 3

Use good technique. If your wrist is sore after a golf game, you may be doing something wrong and may need to refine your golf swing.

Do exercises to warm up and improve the flexibility of your wrists before playing.

Use caution when hitting off mats.

Consider teeing up ball shots to avoid taking divots if you have a history of wrist problems.

Avoid flicking the wrists at ball impact.

Avoid excessive wrist motion at take-away or transition.

Normalize the swing arc: adopt a flat or more elliptical swing plane. This will allow the hands to be kept at or near shoulder height during transition and at the completion of follow-through. This allows the golf ball to be swept off the ground and may help to reduce the likelihood of injury.

The wrist moves through a large range of motion during the golf swing. During repeated swings, it can be subjected to too much stress, placing it at risk for an overuse injury. Golfers should progress gradually in terms of play time, duration and game frequency throughout the season.

Many wrist problems can be attributed to grip. Using a strong grip (left hand positioned clockwise on the golf club handle) and over-gripping golf clubs in poor repair can strain the wrist. After the appropriate diagnosis and treatment, modifying the equipment or the golf swing can reduce the tendency to develop problems with the wrist and hand.

Most women and beginner golfers have not yet developed adequate forearm power, and therefore, have weaker wrists and grip strength. If the grip is weak, a golfer does not have adequate control of the club and the wrists are placed under a lot of strain.

Many beginners are taught to hold the clubs in more neutral positions. If they do not understand the concept of "grip strength" or how hard to hold the club, the wrists will "break" through the course of the swing.

Stronger grips lock the wrists, and neutral grips only work if proper grip strength is applied. Often, in an attempt to get more power and distance, there is a conscious attempt to hinge or cock the wrist and then rapidly uncock it through impact. This is the "misconception" of the delayed hit. What delivers the speed at impact is acceleration by a quick rolling of the forearms.

Oversized grips that are generally larger and softer help to reduce compressive forces and pressure on the wrist when holding a club.

Golf grips should be replaced every 40 to 50 rounds to reduce slipping, and some golfers may find it helpful to use gloves.

Golfers should reduce grip pressure and avoid using the strong grip position by rotating the left hand counterclockwise.

Make sure golf clubs are a good fit. When correctly fitted, the butt end of the club handle extends approximately one inch beyond the pinky side of the hand.